Hercule de Serre
Hercule de Serre | |
---|---|
President of the Chamber of Deputies | |
In office 17 November 1817 – 11 December 1818 | |
Preceded by | Étienne-Denis Pasquier |
Succeeded by | Auguste Ravez |
Personal details | |
Born | Pagny-sur-Moselle, Meurthe, France | 12 March 1776
Died | 21 July 1824 Castellammare di Stabia, Naples, Italy | (aged 48)
Occupation | Soldier, lawyer and politician |
Known for | Minister of Justice |
Pierre François Hercule de Serre (12 March 1776 – 21 July 1824) was a French soldier, lawyer and politician. He was a deputy from 1815 to 1824, and was Minister of Justice in three successive cabinets from 1818 to 1821. He sat on the center-right, but had liberal views on press freedom, direct elections and the use of juries.
Early years
Pierre François Hercule de Serre was born in Pagny-sur-Moselle, Meurthe, on 12 March 1776. His family originated in the
Deputy
Hercule de Serre supported the Bourbon Restoration, and was appointed First President of the Court of Colmar in January 1815. He accompanied King
De Serre was reelected on 4 October 1816 and on 20 September 1817. He sat with the majority, and in January 1817 was elected President of the Chamber of Deputies, replacing Étienne-Denis Pasquier. He held this position until the end of 1818, when he was replaced by Auguste Ravez. He tended to favor direct elections, but opposed the requirement to reelect members appointed to permanent offices, and approved the suspension of individual liberty. As Speaker, he proposed a new regulation of severe penalties for interruptions.[2]
Minister of Justice
On 30 December 1818 de Serre accepted the Justice portfolio in the Ministry of Jean-Joseph Dessolles.[3] After agreement with Royer-Collard and the main Doctrinaires, he presented three new press laws establishing freedom from prior censorship, the competence of the jury even for minor offenses, and the admission of testimonial proof against officials. These proposals were attacked by the royalist right, and were not passed. On the other hand, he alienated liberal opinion when he said that the Charter of 1814 applied to voters; temporary exiles could still hope to return to France; but regicides never. This extreme statement was later modified to allow that the king could grant clemency for age and infirmity.[2]
De Serre retained his position in the Ministry of Élie Decazes, formed on 19 November 1819.[4] De Serre agreed with
Later career
De Serre refused to join the Ministry of Joseph de Villèle and was succeeded as Minister of Justice by Pierre-Denis, Comte de Peyronnet on 13 December 1821. He resumed his place in the Chamber on the center-right, and spoke in favor of the jurisdiction of juries in press trials. On 9 January 1822 he was appointed ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples. He attended the Congress of Verona. He ran without success in the legislative elections in 1824. He died later that year from a chest ailment.[2] Serre died in Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples, on 21 July 1824 at the age of 48.[1]
References
Citations
Sources
- Muel, Léon (1891). Gouvernements, ministères et constitutions de la France depuis cent ans: Précis historique des révolutions, des crises ministérielles et gouvernementales, et des changements de constitutions de la France depuis 1789 jusqu'en 1890 ... Marchal et Billard. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
- Robert, Adolphe; Cougny, Gaston (1891). "Serre (Pierre-François-Hercule de)". Dictionnaire des parlementaires français de 1789 à 1889 (PDF). Retrieved 2014-04-20.